INEC Justifies Exclusion Of Non-Compliant Parties From 2027 Governorship Race, Fixes October 24 Deadline For Complaints
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the omission of some candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship election, citing a Supreme Court ruling that makes compliance with membership register submission requirements mandatory for political parties.
In a statement issued by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the commission said it applied the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, when finalising the list of governorship candidates.
The Supreme Court had upheld the constitutionality of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC as a prerequisite for conducting valid party primaries.
The court also affirmed the commission’s timetable requiring political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026, ruling that parties that failed to comply were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the election.
INEC said it excluded parties that did not meet the statutory requirements in compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision and Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires authorities to give effect to decisions of superior courts.
The commission, however, noted that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
It further reminded political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the list that Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, allows them 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission.
According to INEC, the deadline for submitting such notifications is October 24, 2026.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
